tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post402747606302596732..comments2016-12-09T08:55:39.858-05:00Comments on Gurney Journey: Kate's Stifled SmileJames Gurneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01870848001990898499noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-12423351094981600682013-01-27T11:14:55.414-05:002013-01-27T11:14:55.414-05:00P.S. The majority of the comments are great, by t...P.S. The majority of the comments are great, by the way. Bravi, everybody!!<br />And I agree: the original photo looks better, but at least the painting is bringing more public awareness to portrait painting.<br /><br />Michael John Angel<br />Director of Studies<br />Angel Academy of Art, FlorenceMichael John Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270825066872769678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-14432290734752052832013-01-27T11:02:26.693-05:002013-01-27T11:02:26.693-05:00Hi James,
Much as I take my hat off to any goo...Hi James,<br /><br /> Much as I take my hat off to any good portrait painter, I&#39;m afraid that I find that the portrait of Kate Middleton resembles a very bad, air-brushed photograph that was lit by a flashbulb. Perhaps that was the artist&#39;s intention, but it makes for a boring painting.<br /> Her smile doesn&#39;t resemble the Mona Lisa&#39;s at all (the Gioconda&#39;s smile is a pun on her name, by the way—Leonardo loved visual puns—giocondo, in Italian, means happy or playful).<br /><br /> Fond regards, John.<br /><br />Michael John Angel<br />Director of Studies<br />Angel Academy of Art, FlorenceMichael John Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270825066872769678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-76640389565202583532013-01-15T16:43:15.523-05:002013-01-15T16:43:15.523-05:00http://conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attach...http://conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1679638&amp;d=1357940157<br /><br />Thanks for the link to the source photo, Lane. <br />My (totally personal and insignificant in the greater scheme of things) vote lands in the &quot;horrid&quot; camp. <br /><br />1. I know he was going for a glowing effect, but instead, we get a portrait of the undead. Was this the intended effect?: http://www.clevvertv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/The-Twilight-Saga-Breaking-Dawn-Part-2-2012-Movie-Poster1-e1358189196215-300x300.jpg<br />In fairness, sometimes photos of paintings can be deceiving in this area...<br /><br />2. Some bizarre decisions regarding the depiction of the features. For instance, the shrunken width of the nostrils (Have nostrils become unfashionable?). When people smile, the nostrils flare, sometimes a lot. You can see it in the photo. Nostrils also have a big impact on how the distance between the eyes and the nose is perceived, and thus, the size of the nose. And the eyes- Getting the extra sharp sparkle treatment while the rest of the face is a little soft focus creates a weird disconnect. As noted before, a cheesy Photoshop trick that gets used a lot in high school yearbooks. The eyebrows are a missed opportunity- The glamour of the raised and angled right eyebrow lost. And the left eyebrow has been thinned down, adding to the effect of aging. The cheekbones, very glam in the photo, are played down.- Basically, everything seems to be genericized to detrimental effect. <br /><br />3. The paintwork- smoothed out, unremarkable. To see large scale heads with expression and expressionistic paint, check out Colin Davidson from Belfast: http://colindavidson.com/<br /><br />On a positive note, I did check out Paul Emsley&#39;s website, and some of the work is beautiful like this one of a tree: http://paulemsley.com/works/?nggpage=4&amp;pid=177<br /><br />Smiley Face!Mark Henghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872172199243865094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-31480306524648577342013-01-14T22:47:47.005-05:002013-01-14T22:47:47.005-05:00Having watched the videos Ms. Tyrrell has referenc...Having watched the videos Ms. Tyrrell has referenced I see now that my first impression is correct. It looks just like the photos and probably just like the Duchess when she sat for the artist. But is it possible to enter the &quot;uncanny valley&quot; in a painting? I feel like it is technically a superb painting but there is just something that is a bit off-putting that doesn&#39;t truly capture Kate&#39;s &quot;Kate-ness&quot; (for lack of a better word).Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03094701173187888604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-10242237381952122202013-01-14T15:42:52.089-05:002013-01-14T15:42:52.089-05:00P.S. The color palette, at least in the JPEG repro...P.S. The color palette, at least in the JPEG reproductions (I haven&#39;t seen the painting), makes it look like a painting on black velvet. Plus, the image manipulation (soft focus face and hair, super-sharp eyes) is a standard hackneyed Photoshop gambit. <br /><br />Sorry, guess you can tell I think it&#39;s horrid.<br /><br />MJMike Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00236411343612881152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-24187430647744926972013-01-14T15:32:54.126-05:002013-01-14T15:32:54.126-05:00I happen to hate it, but moreover, I think it leav...I happen to hate it, but moreover, I think it leaves her still needing to have a portrait done. Maybe next time she&#39;ll choose a photographer.<br /><br />MJMike Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00236411343612881152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-61846570685854004432013-01-14T13:07:08.155-05:002013-01-14T13:07:08.155-05:00I guess I am just an old painter when it comes to ...I guess I am just an old painter when it comes to portraits. Even if the likeness is spot on and a certain personality is captured if the painting itself is lacking then it&#39;s lacking overall. I have not seen this on the wall but have seen enough work in reproduction to get an idea. Even if it does work as likeness and captures personality, which still seems suspect, it doesn&#39;t seem to have some of the basic tenets of a good painting. More flame for the fire I guess.billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02616075975131350091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-13673283859936018932013-01-14T09:11:38.763-05:002013-01-14T09:11:38.763-05:00I think the aging effect comes from the edgework (...I think the aging effect comes from the edgework (its hard to get edge info from a photo). The artist has really softened the hair (almost looks like airbrush or digital). So the soft hair edges, relative to the harder nasolabial folds, chin, and prominent eye wrinkles makes the signs of age the second strongest statement after the smile.<br /><br />But I&#39;m viewing this small, and on a computer screen -- these oversized portraits are meant to be viewed in person.I&#39;m sure its a very different experience.Daroohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02269629297022511462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-16308126404861272592013-01-14T09:03:20.133-05:002013-01-14T09:03:20.133-05:00Personally I say more power to Emsley. He works wi...Personally I say more power to Emsley. He works with integrity. I think it&#39;s wonderful that the portrait is stimulating conversation (and not just on art blogs), and bringing painted portraiture into public consciousness in a way that hasn&#39;t happened in years. As to the portrait, personally I have issues with it - things I don&#39;t particularly care for. But I respect it and Emsley&#39;s process.Tom Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770238579550226268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-15546954291211488502013-01-14T08:56:44.256-05:002013-01-14T08:56:44.256-05:00I personally do not feel it captured her in the be...I personally do not feel it captured her in the best manner possible. I think the painting makes her look much older than she is and though the chubbiness may be from baby weight, he cheeks do feel a bit bloated. I also think that the painting is very stiff and does not flow well or portray any &quot;life&quot;. Might just be me though.Jason Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466149422805599286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-23354813169247022122013-01-14T04:03:38.479-05:002013-01-14T04:03:38.479-05:00I feel, like some others have said, that the paint...I feel, like some others have said, that the painting comes out better in the photographs of the artist; the light is better and perhaps the viewing angle (the side-to-side compression?). <br /><br />Still, this is a beautiful painting, and the model too. I won&#39;t let my personal preference for lighter backgrounds, etc., interfere with my enjoyment of Mr. Emsley&#39;s great work.Tryggvi Edwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772045578062519536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-7112156657954655232013-01-14T04:01:52.848-05:002013-01-14T04:01:52.848-05:00Thanks everybody for these thoughtful comments and...Thanks everybody for these thoughtful comments and fascinating links. I think everybody has articulated my own various reactions better than I could. <br /><br />I don&#39;t think there&#39;s anything wrong in principle with a portrait done from photos. Rockwell&#39;s portraits of Eisenhower and Kennedy are immensely satisfying, both in the original and reproduction. <br /><br />Of course in this case, I haven&#39;t seen the original painting or met the subject. But from what I&#39;ve seen of the reproductions of this painting, the ambivalence of the expression says something not just about the artist and the model, but also about the expectations we all bring to oil-painted portraiture. Kate comes across in candid photos with a beautiful radiant smile, but no one is ready to see that full-on toothy smile enshrined in a painting. So Kate is caught somewhere between the big smile and the calm neutral expression of the rest of the portrait gallery&#39;s subjects. And for me, that &quot;caught between&quot; quality, which is in itself a momentary phenomenon, impossible to hold for more than a second, is both the success and the failure of the piece.James Gurneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01870848001990898499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-62301861048467378392013-01-14T02:06:01.304-05:002013-01-14T02:06:01.304-05:00The original photo reference was posted on Concept...The original photo reference was posted on ConceptArt.org : http://conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1679638&amp;d=1357940157<br /><br />IMO the artist didn&#39;t bring much of himself to the painting, and only a snapshot&#39;s worth of the subject.Lane Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13368399358884888907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-367513335482903822013-01-14T01:35:35.924-05:002013-01-14T01:35:35.924-05:00Really debatable post...damn good!! i think nothin...Really debatable post...damn good!! i think nothing matters as long as the artist and the model agree...Thanks for posting!!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://airplasma.com/air_plasma_consumable.htm" rel="nofollow">trafimet plasma consumables</a>Priya Shahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768923196684539724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-8301171223677956942013-01-13T20:50:26.426-05:002013-01-13T20:50:26.426-05:00Katherine- I asked mainly because you called Freu...Katherine- I asked mainly because you called Freud Great Britain&#39;s greatest living (now deceased) painter. Actually, the limitations imposed upon royal portraitists these days are not all that different from the challenges many portrait artists face these days. Just now I&#39;m doing a portrait of three 19th Century German military musicians. Not only the likenesses, but all details of their uniforms and instruments must be accurate, yet if the finished painting looks like nothing more than a colored sepia-tone photo, it will not be a success. Luckily for me, I read &quot;Gurney Journey,&quot; so I have some idea how to do this!Craig Banholzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16958933400558297331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-74287952944656147062013-01-13T19:43:52.634-05:002013-01-13T19:43:52.634-05:00Craig - given it was Freud&#39;s habit to keep peo...Craig - given it was Freud&#39;s habit to keep people turning up for sittings on a weekly (or more often) basis for a year or more, I think you&#39;ll understand that even with the relaxation of the normal protocol, he was under a severe constraint so far as his normal modus operandi was concerned!<br /><br />I think people just need to accept that royal commissions just don&#39;t work quite like any other sort of portrait commission.<br /><br />They also suit some painters (eg ones who work in fast and in a more painterly way) better than others. <br /><br />My ex drawing tutor, who painted the Queen, told me that the Palace allowed him access to the room in which the portrait was set and access to the dress used for the portrait which was then suitably stuffed to enable him to do the painting. Most of the royal portrait painters seem to use the sittings to start and finish the head only - and make this relatively small within the entirety of the painting. This enables them to use the limited time they have to best effect. <br /><br />For an artist to make virtually all the painting about the head is most unusual. It creates a much bigger challenge than usual - and this particular aspect appears to have gone unremarked by most of the commentators. Whether this was a wise move could be debated - but this is how this artist typically works and I guess is what he would be most comfortable doing.<br /><br />I&#39;d love to know who suggested that maybe the &quot;no smile&quot; rule might be relaxed so we got the dimples at either side of her mouth.<br /><br />I&#39;d also be grateful if people could explain in what particular way the painter has aged her.Katherine Tyrrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13509483023337008890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-78692074151199870782013-01-13T19:34:44.646-05:002013-01-13T19:34:44.646-05:00The common complaint that the portrait has aged he...The common complaint that the portrait has aged her is spot on. It&#39;s also made her face too wide, it seems to me, and given her the air of carrying cares and resentments. I think he&#39;s gone too far trying to get hyper realism of surface detail at the expense of capturing the personality and vivacity of the person depicted, too. Also, I dislike over-lifesized portraits, they give me the creeps. Only dictators and pharaohs should be shown like this.Gordon Napierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374065314604533766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-8572872310899594302013-01-13T19:21:41.270-05:002013-01-13T19:21:41.270-05:00Hmmm. Katherine, the portraits of the queen I was ...Hmmm. Katherine, the portraits of the queen I was mentioning a few comments back were featured on Matthew Innes&#39;s &quot;Underpaintings&quot; blog. If it&#39;s true that all royal portraitists must deal with the strictures you describe, it seems to me that several of these painters navigated these potential roadblocks much better than Freud. I would be curious to now if you agree.Craig Banholzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16958933400558297331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-31020036135661464012013-01-13T19:03:11.265-05:002013-01-13T19:03:11.265-05:00I forgot to add....
I&#39;ve spoken to a number o...I forgot to add....<br /><br />I&#39;ve spoken to a number of artists who have painted members of the Royal Family, most recently Daphne Todd, who is the ex President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters.<br /><br />The very real constraint that any portrait painter has to live with is that typically they only get two, maybe three short sittings for these commissions. The explanation for this being the Royals&#39; very crowded engagement diaries and time needed for the travelling involved in attending various functions around the UK. Plus the fact that the Queen would have nothing to do all day but sit for royal portraits if painters could have all the sittings they could wish for!<br /><br />I believe an exception was granted to Lucien Freud - probably on the basis of both status (Britain&#39;s greatest living artist - when he was still alive) and his advanced age. He painted the Queen in 2001 but even he had to compromise and paint on a small canvas so he could get it finished within the constraints of his own exacting approach to painting portraits<br /><br />As you will note from this link <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1723071.stm" rel="nofollow">controversy is nothing new to the unveiling of a new Royal Portrait!</a> :)Katherine Tyrrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13509483023337008890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-82037957750805146222013-01-13T18:49:39.463-05:002013-01-13T18:49:39.463-05:00James - I have an explanation for the mouth. It m...James - I have an explanation for the mouth. It may well seem odd to American eyes - particularly ones which are used to smiling Presidents - but there&#39;s a very simple reason.<br /><br />In the entire collection of some 11,000 portraits in the National Portrait Gallery (which go back to Tudor times), there isn&#39;t a single smiling head.<br /><br />Not one.<br /><br />It&#39;s the practice to paint a portrait without a smile and certainly with no teeth.<br /><br />Given the Duchess is particularly well known for her fabulous smile this would have created a huge challenge for any artist. On the other hand the challenge may well have slightly easier to tackle by an artist who equally does not do smiles or teeth! I think the comments about the compromise being arrived at via a closed mouth smile explains an awful lot!Katherine Tyrrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13509483023337008890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-55937714564547972082013-01-13T17:50:34.044-05:002013-01-13T17:50:34.044-05:00Oh crud I got your name wrong; sorry Craig. Oh crud I got your name wrong; sorry Craig. Keith Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579786144772849547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-17519429366206770932013-01-13T17:40:48.465-05:002013-01-13T17:40:48.465-05:00Well, no question this portrait will be talked abo...Well, no question this portrait will be talked about, and maybe more so because many people just don&#39;t like it. I was only yesterday looking at a selection of recent portraits of Elizabeth II. I was amazed how really fine some of them are, but none of them will ever be as famous as the &quot;ugly&quot; portrait by Lucian Freud.Craig Banholzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16958933400558297331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-13809755553006930102013-01-13T17:14:25.267-05:002013-01-13T17:14:25.267-05:00What an interesting discussion!
Keith Parker ment...What an interesting discussion!<br /><br />Keith Parker mentioned Mona Lisa in his comment above. Her smile was my first thought about this portrait, although Leonardo softened Mona&#39;s stifled smile.<br /><br />I&#39;m guessing our modern high definition visual influences make this portrait fit the taste of many.Diana Moses Botkinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254521493118166524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-60292574453115676752013-01-13T16:11:20.969-05:002013-01-13T16:11:20.969-05:00When I see a huge portrait such as this, that also...When I see a huge portrait such as this, that also is front on and flattened, &#39;smoothed&#39;, a little unflattering, and painted from a photograph, I think that perhaps the purpose was not so much to create a feeling that you were in the presence a real person (surely then you&#39;d make the painting normal human sized), but you are seeing a representation of that strange mix that is part real person (the smile), part royalty (we know), part media star... ie, exactly, Craig: an advertising poster/ print. Think what Warhol was saying about Monroe, mass production and media. <br /><br />Whatever, I agree with Keith - I love that it&#39;s got us all talking and thinking!Katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12453125929159161583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-23671073654496726322013-01-13T16:04:05.572-05:002013-01-13T16:04:05.572-05:00I disagree Greg. This painting will make waves. Ju...I disagree Greg. This painting will make waves. Just look at how many people have commented on this post of you doubt it. Thousands if not millions will not only see the peice, but thanks to the controversial choices of the expression and the quality of their depiction this peice will be talked about by many people for some time to come. Love it or hate it everyone will want to give their opinion, and for an artist that kind of exposure is golden. The painting isn&#39;t meant to be flattering as much as it is meant to capture an essence, and send a message I think. And I think it is intriguing.Keith Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579786144772849547noreply@blogger.com